New Dubai and - deeply uncomfortable

Hahaha. You got the wrong country.

Brush up on your middle eastern Geography. Showing yourself up as ignorant.

Not visiting somewhere because you don't like the political establishment is a very closed minded way to live. Go to the places that make you uncomfortable - it's the only way to add light and shade to the beautifully complexity of other cultures. You don't have to like it or agree with it - but for heaven's sake stop bashing what you clearly know NOTHING about and judging by your own standards.

Edited to add: it is ok to visit somewhere and respect the local customs.

Littler?

Yes all along the verges. It’s depressing.

Litter?

We're probably quite high on the international litter scale

I wonder what reasons people from other countries have for not wanting to come to UK.
I would guess mugging and phone theft - in cities, anyway.

100%!

It was the 90s so he is probably dead now as pretty old then.

Rrally, if that ad is as described, the only issue is the skinny dipping. Someone record it for us😂 I am well curious now.

Cat on keyboard

You are unhinged.

Yes, you were talking about obesity becoming an issue in Cuba. I was saying similar about Dubai, which was the original subject of the thread! Which was perfectly clear because of the frequent references to the UAE and Emiratis!

Because my post was about Cuba, follow the thread!!!

Yes, but I had UAE placenames and references to Emiratis throughout my post!

@NowThatYouSayIt

The discussion about whether it is ethically acceptable to go to Dubai led to further discussion as to where else might be an ethically unacceptable destination.
Soupyspoon mentioned Florida and I suggested Cuba which led to a couple of posts about that country and its health service.

If I can ask, what was the difference between their experiences in Bosnia & Iraq, and the news? Sorry to derail, but I'm v interested in those places.

& I agree on the riots. It was scary & horrible for the country & vile where it actually happened. But from reddit people seemed to have the impression we'd been taken over by the KKK & that no POC emigree would ever be safe here again.

Why would I be talking about Cuba?

You're talking about Dubai, not Cuba?

Huge problems with obesity and diabetes, so they’re funding research. But a friend of DH’s, a well known consultant at the Mayo clinic, was invited to address medical students in Dubai, and was taken aback at how many of them had no intention of practicing medicine. He said one said his family planned for him to be Minister for Health so he was killing time, and another said her future husband liked the idea of a wife with a prestigious degree. Obviously all university fees are paid for Emiratis, so no one has made sacrifices to be there.

This consultant had organised an event with several Nobel Prize winners in Abu Dhabi with medical students being bussed in from Dubai — a fabulous opportunity to meet world leaders in medicine and medical research. A total of two students showed up. He had a platform of Nobel laureates and an empty auditorium.

It highlighted for me some of the problems with ‘emiratisation’, when there’s little or no incentive to work hard, as there are heavy government subsidies available. As you had to have an Emirati partner in any foreign-owned business, and hence a certain number of Emirati employees, DH had endless issues with what used to be called ‘ghost employees’, rich kids who only showed up occasionally to keep their families sweet.

Being a very small, newly very rich society numerically dominated by foreign workers with no stake in your country causes lots of problems.

Yes Ive just been googling it, its quite a polarised situation because their health stats (not sure of right now) have been better than many countries, outstanding in some cases, and thats because they are big on preventing, you'll basically be hounded by a nurse or doctor at your own home to have health checks, pestered if you drink too much or smoke or drugs or whatever, prevention was focused on because as a nation they're simply too poor to manage if and when people do get disease

However they do lack equipment and drugs and as time goes on, the population are becoming more weighty, like much more rich countries and of course obesity is causing problems.

Fascinating.

Sorry OP, nothing to do with Dubai.

Dubai is mostly a soulless, vapid place. The Creek area is fine but to go on holiday why would you?

This is true, dont they have a fantastic health service though or have I mixed them up with someone else.

I cannot speak from experience as I’ve never been there and nor do I know anyone who has had experience of Cuban healthcare. However I googled it and basically those writing from a left wing perspective say it’s world class - rather like socialists in the first half of 20th century said life in the Soviet Union was wonderful for everyone - but those writing from a right wing perspective say it is far from world class, there are serious shortages, doctors are so badly paid they have second jobs, and the ‘world class’ medical care is only for the Cuban ruling class and their families.

This is true, dont they have a fantastic health service though or have I mixed them up with someone else?

People go to Florida and other US destinations happy enough dont they?

Also people go to Cuba and say things like “the Cubans are so poor, I mean they’ve got nothing but they are all really happy”.
Maybe the Cubans locked up for criticism of the regime and their families aren’t so happy. It’s got an appalling human rights record which a quick google will demonstrate, but plenty of people with liberal views and who support democracy go there.

Yes they are, they have embraced the batshit trans rights which believes men who say they are women, ARE women and that women should shut their mouths and accept men in their single sex spaces, sports etc. Disgraceful, shameful of this once important organisation.

Presumably not so in an impromptu way while wearing a short sequin dress though

I don't think this particular advert is representing what you describe

I suspect you’re so determined for it not to be possible and for the advert to be selling a lie that you’ve given yourself tunnel vision and are incapable of believing it’s entirely possible to swim at night, even after a date whilst wearing a short sequinned dress.

And the now mention of an unworldly 18 years old really falls into the realms of you over egging the pudding.